Want To Get A 6x2x2, 180gal(us) Tank , Need Advice For Equipment

[andywg]

That should be fine for a 180, however, I would not use plain standpipes. Google durso standpipes, these things run nearly silent (as opposed to the constant sound of a toilet flushing with open standpipes).

Be careful on cramming the absolute largest sump you can in underneath a stand, both Paul and myself can vouch for the lack of fun in trying to clean ou tsump tanks where there is insufficient room to work.

I am confused as to why you have the spray bar pointing at the glass. I would have it pointing across the tank and up at the surface to maximise movement and surface area for gas exchange.

Also, look into bottom fed weirs, very good for keeping the bottom clear of debris.

Finally, you will want a deeper chamber for the return pump, otherwise with a minimum amount of evaporation the pump will start to run dry (any evaporation in this tank will only affect the sump tank level, not the display tank).

 

[saboy]

Ok, thanks for you reply,

When i sed stand pipe, i ment the durso ones,


I am gonna ask how tall the stand is on the inside, then i can know how i can design the sump to allow more water over the pump, the main things I wanna know now are the diameter of the plumbing that I should use, and also the diameter of the bulkheads,


Also have any idea's on how i can make lids for the bio chambers ?


And the spray bar, do you think its a good idea having a long one ? almost right acroos the back of the tank ? and would it be fine having a hole for the return in the middle of the tank ? The reason i thought of having it pointing towards glass cause i tghout that there would be lots of currant coming and the fish would have trouble swimming, but i wll experiment with that when i make the spray bars position.


Could you tell me how bottom fed wiers work ? is it just a combe at the bottom of the wier to allow water in ?

 

[andywg]

A bottom fed wei requires two weirs. The inside one is the same as usual with teeth at the top (the bottom of which marks the low water level when the power is off). In front of this is another weir which is slightly taller than the inside weir, but has a gap of around half an inch to an inch from the substrate. This forces most of the water to bu sucked from the bottom of the tank (including all the gunk and detritus that settles there) through and into the filter.

You normally have a small section cut out at the top of the outside weir to enable some surface skimming (to prevent a protein film developing).

The problem with a hole for the spray bar to come through is it will create a syphon and allow a backflow of water in the event of a power cut draining the tank until air enters the pipe. You can have an air hole just below the surface to allow air in very quickly. A large one will probaby help with the oxygen levels in the tank.